Cable reel carton device



March 27, 1962 s. COLE ETAL CABLE REEL CARTON DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Nov. 6, 1959 .W PMW A |NVENTORS STEPHEN COLE LAWRENCE A. M9GINNATTORNEYS.

March 27, 1962 S. COLE ETAL CABLE REEL CARTON DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 19593 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS STEPHE N C OLE LAWRENCE A. M GlNN \LATTORNEYS.

March 27, 1962 s. COLE ETAL 3,027,003

CABLE REEL CARTON DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet a NVENTORS 3STEPHEN COLE LAWRENCE A.M G|NN BY-WVA.

' ATTORNEYS.

'is to be used.

nited States ate-t 3,27,@fl3 Patented Mar. 27, 1362 3,027,003 CABLE REELCARTON DEVICE Stephen Cole, Brockville, Ontario, and Lawrence A. Mc-

This invention relates to a container for a coil of wire, cable or thelike usable, both as a shipping box and a dispenser.

Conventional containers of this kind fall generally into three types. Inone type, the interior of the container is equipped with a central corewhich extends between and is fixedly connected to opposite sides of thecontainer. Wire is coiled about this central core and the box is closedfor shipping. In order to use this type of container as a dispenser, allportions of the box, except the sides to which the core isconnected, areremoved and a type of reel structure is obtained. The reel structure soformed may then be equipped with an axle for free rotation thereabout inorder to dispense the wire. Such a container has the disadvantage'that amember suitable as an axle and a member which will act as an axlemounting must be found at the place where wire In practice it is oftendifficult to locate such suitable equipment.

In a second type of dispensing unit, a separate reel wire is enclosedwithin a container. In operation, a suitable aperture is formed in oneside of the container through which wire may be dispensed but again theuser must find an axle to support the reel for rotation thereaboutbefore wire can be dispensed; Thus it will be seen that thedisadvantages of the previously mentioned type of container areencountered in part in that a separate axle is required to be found atthe scene of operations.

In a third type of dispensing unit, a separate reel of cable is enclosedin a container in which a cable dispensing aperture is provided. Inoperation no axle or axle mounting is required, as the reel is allowedto roll about its rim within the container as cable is withdrawn from itand throughtheaperture. In such a container, cable dispensing is oftenmade difiicult due to binding caused by the friction between the reeland the sides of the container. Such containers need to-be firmlysecured to permit the user to exert --astrong pulling force on the cablewhereby to overcome the binding between the reel and the container to adegree where dispensing is made possible.

I have found these disadvantages may be overcome by providing acontainer adapted to receive a reel of wire, cable or the like, saidcontainer having square up-right end walls spaced apart a distanceslightly greater than the axial length of the reel of wire, transverselydisposed side walls connecting said end walls, and stub axial membersextending inwardly from each end Wall, normal thereto and centrallythereof and capable of supporting the reel of wire thereon for rotationabout its longitudinal axis. Such a container provides -a suitable boxfor shipping purposes and when the wire is required for use, an aperturemay be formed in one side of the container and the wire dispensed fromthe reel which is supported for rotation on the stub axles forming apart of the container. Such a container requires the use of noindependent parts when the wire is required for use since the axles andaxle-mountings form a part of the container, and since the reel rotatesfreely, the wire is dispensed easily and quickly without binding orother impediment which would make the wire difficult to dispense.

The following is a description by way of example of one embodiment ofthe invention reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial representation of the container partly brokenaway to show its interior,

FIGURE 2 is a pictorial representation of the container showing thecable dispensing aperture,

FIGURE 3 is a pictorial representation of the container showing thefastening tab,

FIGURE 4 is a pictorial representation of the conftainer showing theformation of one end wall, and

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of one end wall showing the method ofatfixing one stub axle thereto.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, a container is shown as having squareupright end walls A and B (FIGURES 'l and 2) connected by fourtransversely extending side walls 1, 2, 3 and 4. Afiixed centrally ofeach end wall of the container are stub axle members 5. The stub axlemembers consist of a fiat base portion 6 which bears against the endwall of the container and a cylindrical dowel member 7 normal to thefiat base portion 6 and extending inwardly of the container. The stubaxle member may b o-constructed of any suitable material havingsufficient strength to support a standard reel of wire, cable or thelike, for example a wooden dowel fastened to a plywood base; the dowelmember and base member may be either formed integrally or in twosections connected together by any suitable means. When the container isloaded with a standard reel of wire, cable or the like as shown inFIGURE1 the reel 8 is seated on the stub axle members for rotation about itslongitudinal axis. The reel 8 generally comprises two end flanges 9 anda central core 10 disposed between the end flanges and about which wiremay be wound. The central core 10 has a central axial bore 11 adapted toloosely receive the dowel member 7 of the stub axle member 5. For thesake of clarity only an empty spool is depicted in FIGURE 1, but inoperation wire is wound about 'central core 10 and is held in place bythe end flanges 9.

g The container may be constructed in any conventional manner, forexample by stamping the outline of the container on a single sheet ofmaterial, appropriately folding the material, and connecting the matingfree edges to form a box-like structure with open ends similar to thatshown in FIGURE 4.

The construction of the end walls is illustrated in FIG- URES 4 and 5.Although only the construction of end wall A is shown in the drawings itis to be understood that the construction of both end walls may beidentical so one only need be described. Extensions in the form ofsquare flaps 15, 16, 17 and 18 are foldably connected to each end ofside walls 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively at fold lines 19, 20, 21 and 22respectively. Flap 15 is provided with an aperture 23 located centrallythereof and of such size and shape as to snugly receive dowel member 7of stub axle member 5. Flaps 17 and 18 are provided with identicalcorresponding apertures 24 centrally thereof, of such size and shape asto snugly receive the base portion 6 of the stub axle member 5. Theremaining flap 16 is of solid construction with no aperture therein.

In order to insert a standard reel of wire in the container one possiblesequence of steps will be described as exemplary only. First, one end ofthe container is closed as follows. Flap 15 is folded upwardly tocompletely close an open end of the container, the dowel member 7 of thestub axle member is inserted through the aperture 23 so that the dowelmember extends inwardly of the container and the flat base portion 6abuts against the outer surface of flap 15. Flaps 17 and 18 are thenfolded in overlapping relation such that the a apertures in the saidflaps receive the flat base portion 6 of the stub axle assembly as canbe seen from FIGURE the sequence in which flaps 17 and 18 are folded isof no importance. Flap 16 is then folded down to completely cover theend of the container and hold the stub axle securely in place. The fourthicknesses of material forming the end wall may then be connected by asuitable means for example stapling or by an adhesive connection. Whenone end of the container is so formed the box may be stood on the closedend and the reel of wire, cable or the like inserted so that the axialbore of the reel receives the dowel member 7 of the stub axle member.The other end of the container may then be closed as previouslydescribed such that when the dowel member of the second stub axle memberis inserted in aperture 23 it will also be aligned with and received bythe axial bore 11 of the reel of wire. It is here pointed out that theapertures 23 and 24 may be formed in any flap provided there is at leastone aperture 23 and 24 at each end of the container and the folding ofthe flaps will be governed accordingly.

The container is shown as being equipped with aperture defining means inthe form of a perforated substantially rectangular outline 12 on side 4.This outline is preferably located completely in one longitudinal halfof the side wall and adjacent another side wall, in this case side 1,and extends lengthwise of side 4 over a major portion of the lengththereof. In operation the central portion 13 defined by the perforatedoutline 12 is pressed inwardly to form a wire dispensing aperture 14. Itis seen from FIGURE 2 that for best results the reel of wire should beinserted such that when the wire is dispensed it extends in a straightline from the periphery of the reel through the aperture with no bendingor twisting. The rectangular shape of the aperture provides for the freeand unobstructed dispensing of the wire along the entire length of thereel. It is here pointed out that the aperture may be formed on any sideof the container and means for forming this aperture are not limited tothe means disclosed in the drawings. For example it is not necessary tocompletely punch out the tab portion 13 as it could be connected alongone edge to fold outwardly when wire is desired to be dispensed andfolded back to cover the opening when the dispensing unit is not in use.Another useful variation is the addition of a finger receiving tabwithin the outline to facilitate the removal of the central portion 13.

Although the force of gravity will hold the container in place until thecontainer is substantially empty; in order to anchor the box fromsliding along the floor when wire is being dispensed at that stage, tabmembers 25 (in l FIGURES 1 and 3) defined by the perforated outline 26are provided as anchoring tabs. Adjacent each tab is a second tab 27defined by perforated lines 27a. To bring the tabs to operable positionthe tab 27 is pressed in to form a finger receiving recess 27b; thefinger may then be inserted in aperture 27b in order to grip the tab 26and pull it downwards about fold line 28 until the tab comes intocontact with the floor or other surface on which the container issupported. The tab may then be connected to the floor by a nail 29 orother means and the box therefore held rigid against sliding. It is tobe understood that preferably the tab members are formed from the sideopposite to that in which the wire dispensing aperture is formed and arefoldably connected to the side nearest but not containing the wiredispensing aperture. The tab members shown in the drawings areillustrative only and it is to be understood that one or more tabs ofvarious shapes and sizes may be effectively used.

What we claim as our invention is:

A container adapted to receive a reel of wire, cable or the like, saidcontainer having rectangular end walls spaced apart a distance slightlygreater than the axial length of the reel of wire, cable or the like,transversely disposed sidewalls connecting said end walls and stub axlemembers extending inwardly from each end wall, normal thereto andlocated centrally thereof and capable of supporting the reel of wirethereon for rotation about its longitudinal axis; each stub axle memberhaving a fiat rectangular base portion thereon for engagement with saidend walls and comprising a cylindrical dowel member aflixed to the baseportion with its longitudinal axis normal therewith; said end wallsbeing formed of square extensions at the free ends of each sidewallwhich are folded to completely overlap one another, the extension firstfolded to form the inside layer of said end wall having an aperturecentrally thereof of such size and shape as to snugly receive thecylindrical dowel member, the two extensions next folded to form twointermediate layers having corresponding apertures therein which are ofsuch shape and size as to snugly receive the rectangular base portion,and the extension next folded to form the outside layer of the end wallbeing of solid construction.

References Cited in the file of this patent

